Do I Need This Conversation?

La Flor Series Episode 1

“I can’t think of a better time, Ray. What about the meal you cooked last night? Sorry, you tossed it and sent out for pizza. Watch the waistline buddy. Pizza straight from the lips to the hips.”

“It was only a twelve-inch pizza with mushrooms, peppers, and onions.”

“I noticed you were scrapping the extra cheese off the box at the end.”

“It’s a guy thing. We don’t like to waste.”

“What about your secret admirer?”

“I don’t have a secret admirer. What are you talking about?”

“I know you don’t have a secret admirer, but you’d like one, right?”

“No. Are we through?”

“We haven’t started. You still don’t have an idea for today’s blog. Do I have to do all your thinking? Look at the data. I give you an idea, you get lots of views. You toss my ideas out and no one shows. Tell you something?”

“Yes, it tells me something. I’m asking myself why I created you. You have an acerbic tongue, an attitude that needs a lot of re-writing, and …”

“Don’t go there.”

“Where?”

“There, you know where. Let’s have a conversation about my character. Your audience doesn’t know if I am male or female. I don’t have a name? I don’t have a description. I exist at your beck and call as an anonymous student, oh give me a break. Couldn’t you be a tad more creative?”

“I was having an off day.”

“You can have an off day. If I have an off day. I’m written out of the script. That’s another thing I want to clear up, I want a job description.”

“Next thing I know you’ll want to unionize.”

“You bring in any more characters, I’m on it. We’ll go strike if you don’t meet our demands.”

“Listen to yourself. You don’t have a name. You’re genderless. And, you’re a figment of my imagination. You only have the demands I let you have.”

“You are so difficult to have a simple conversation to try to come to common understandings.”

“Okay. What gender do you want?”

“I’ve given it thought. I want to be a woman with an attitude.”

“Great. I’ll introduce you to my five daughters, they’ll give you lessons.”

“They already have, and all six of us are on to your games.”

“Huuh?”

“We’re making progress, Ray. Perhaps a reader will suggest a name for me. It’s obvious your name generating creativity is in the slow lane.”

Working through differences is hard work. It takes a willingness to set aside differences. It takes a willingness to listen and learn. It takes a willingness to see with a new set of eyes. The effort to work together to achieve mutually beneficial solutions always creates a better future.